Intel to Integrate USB 3.0 into Windows8

One of the problems with talking about a future operating system is 1) the little news that comes out of Microsoft about it, but 2) it is hard to speculate two years out about technology that might change considerably between now and then. So we are left with rumor and wish lists and the like. Unless some company actually says something worth noting. In this case, Intel has announced that USB 3.0 will be an embedded product within the Windows 8 Operating System.

What is USB 3.0?

The original specification USB was released by a combination of manufacturers in 1996. These included, Intel, Compaq, Microsoft, Sony, Digital Equipment Corporation, IBM, and Northern Telecom.

On September 18, 2007, at the Intel Developer Forum a demonstration of USB 3.0 was presented. Two months later the USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced that the specifications for version 3.0 were complete and was ready for the USB Implementers Forum, the managing body of USB specifications to decimate the specifications and monitor implementation.

A new feature is the bus, which provides a fourth transfer mode at 4.8 Gbit/s. This gives is a “Superspeed.” With the raw throughput at 4 Gbit/s, and the new specifications, it is possible to achieve a speed of 3.2 Gbit/s, which translates to 0.4 GByte/s or 400 MByte/s or more after protocol overhead.

USB 2.0 maxes out at 480 MBits/s. USB 3.0 is expected to max out at 5 Gbits/s. This dramatic performance improvement over version 2.0, makes it more desirable. However, these new data transfer rates while attainable by the USB hardware, my not be easy to implement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus